24th Advent Window - Tree Day!

 Another tree wreath, but with a little more glitz and glamour. On the day where I hopefully decorate my home for the festivities ;-)

Stamp Set: Wishes all Around, Christmas Classics

Card stock: Brushed Gold Cards and Envelopes, 

Shaded Spruce Glimmer, Old Olive

Ink: Old Olive

Accessories: Wishes All Around die, Gold Shimmer Ribbon, 

Adhesive backed Snowflakes, Sparkle gems

May your Christmas be whatever you wish for,

GenGen XxXxX

Twenty third Advent Window - Vellum colouring

 Stamp set: Joy of Noel, Wishes All Around

Card stock: Silver Foil Trio, Snowflake Magic Specialty DSP, Vellum

Ink: Staz On, Highland Heather and watercolour pencils

Accessories: Joy of Noel Dies, 

Silver & White 1/2" Sheer Ribbon, Purple gems.

Sneak a bit of colouring into your day,

GenGen XxXxX 

22nd Advent Window - it's a wrap!

All the "children" are growing up fast, so the Tree envelopes this year have been made from the One Horse Sleigh 6"x6" DSP with winter scenes and a little glittery ribbon.

I seriously cheated with some of my smaller presents . . . 

. . . by using DSP and matching the ribbon and tag to co-ordinate ;-)

Each present wrapped, is another off the list ;-)

GenGen XxXxX

 

Twenty First Advent Window - Shortest day Sparkle

Here we are on the shortest day, and the longest night, 

so I wanted to bring a little sparkle to the darkness

Stamp set: Wishes All Around

Card Stock: Silver Glimmer, Night of Navy, Whisper White

Ink: Night of Navy

Accessories: Wishes All Around Dies, 

Silver & White 1/2" Sheer Ribbon, 

1 1/2" Silver Mesh Ribbon, Circle punch, 

Adhesive backed snowflakes, blue gems and sequins.

Let the Sparkle shine through the dark days,

GenGen XxXxX

20th Advent Window - Shaker card

 It's just not possible for me to do an Advent blog,

 without a Shaker card ;-)

Cardstock: Joy of Christmas Specialty DSP, 

Gold Celebrations 12"x12" Window Specialty, Real Red

Accessories: Loose Holly Gems & Sequins, 

Star die and Foam Adhesive Strips

Keep sprinkling the sequins!

GenGen XxXxX

Nineteenth Advent Window - Woodland deer

 

A winter woodland scene today, using the fabulous DSP from the One Horse Sleigh Suite.

Having the adhesive backed snowflakes also, I wasn't really sure how to tie in copper snowflakes, but this neutral palate allows the copper foil cardstock to  match in with the snowflakes.

I used Staz On Saddle Brown for the sentiment from the Christmas Classics stamp set on vellum to still see the DSP.

Here's hoping we all get time for a winter woodland walk, GenGen XxXxX 

18th Advent Window - Heart wreath

 I wanted this card to look like a heart wreath decoration,

 that you can peg on the Tree

Stamp Set: Christmas Classics

Ink: Cherry Cobbler

Cardstock: Shaded Spruce, Old Olive

Accessories: Classic Christmas and Joy of Noel dies, Black and Very Vanilla Large Check 1cm ribbon,

Red sequins and Peg left over from the Advent kit

I guess you could do a wreath edge for a Very Vanilla Heart shape for an actual decoration ;-)

Keep on Christmas Crafting,

GenGen XxXxX

Seventeenth Advent Window - Shine the light

This card shows the trio of foil, and as there is a purple hint I've used that for the sentiment from the Wishes All Around bundle.

Stamp set: Wishes all around

Cardstock: Silver Foil Speciality, Snowflake Magic Specialty DSP, Vellum

Ink: Highland Heather

Accessories: Wishes All Around dies

Let the light shine through,

GenGen XxXxX 

16th Advent Window - Colours of Christmas

 Sometimes I don't want to cover over DSP, this way you can make four cards at a time ;-)

Stamp Set: Brightest Glow

Ink: Cherry Cobbler

Cardstock: Old Olive and Joy of Christmas and Joyful DSP

Accessories: Labels Aglow Die

Keep it simple, GenGen XxXxX

Fifteenth Advent Window - simple stamping

Stamp sets: Snow Crystal, Brightest Glow

Ink: Coastal Cabana

Accessories: Adhesive backed sequins

Flat enough to go in the post, detailed enough to get away with less is more ;-) Keep cardmaking till the postal deadline, GenGen XxXxX

Advent Window 14 - Wishes all around

A more traditional feel again . . . 

 Stamp Set: Wishes All Around

Ink: Shaded Spruce, Cherry Cobbler

Cardstock: Shaded Spruce, Old Olive, 

Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Wishes All Around Dies, 

Circle punch, retired ribbon ;-)

Keep on crafting,

GenGen XxXxX

Thirteenth Advent Window - Silver birch

Today's pared back card uses the beautiful Silver Birch background DSP from the One Horse Open Sleigh suite.

Stamp set: Christmas Classics and Joy of Noel

Ink: Staz On Saddle Brown 

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Sleigh DSP

Accessories: 1 1/2" Silver Metallic Mesh Ribbon, 

Christmas Classics die, Rhinestones

Less is more ;-) GenGen XxXxX 

Advent Window 12 - Trio of Tags

As presents start to gather themselves, it's time for tags!

Stamp set: Christmas Classics

Ink: Real Red and Old Olive

Cardstock: Very Vanilla and Gold foil

Accessories: Labels aglow, Christmas Classics and Joy of Noel dies (and a retired star ;-))

Pearls, Gold glimmer jewels, loose holly gems and sequins

Ribbons : Gold shimmer, Real Red & gold dot, and a retired old olive twill

As for the wrap, it'll be plain brown paper for mine this year, with the focus on ribbons and tags.

Keep on wrapping, GenGen XxXxX

Eleventh Advent Window - Stellar Specialty DSP

I know my Advent blog has gone a bit paper mad this year, but as I am a little tight for time, it's the ideal solution for quick creativity.

Here are two versions of the same 3D star from the specialty Designer Series Paper from the current Mini Catalogue with the first star highlighted with Gold ribbon, and the second with the gorgeous Night of Navy and Gold Glitter ribbon.

 Let the light shine into these dark nights with a little decoration making ;-)

Keep on crafting for Christmas, GenGen XxXxX

Advent Window 10 - Cherry Cobbler!

For me, the colour Cherry Cobbler = Christmas, 

and less really is more ;-)

Stamp Set: Joy of Noel

Card stock: Cherry Cobbler, Joyful Specialty DSP, 

Gold Foil, Whisper White

Ink: Cherry Cobbler

Accessories: Christmas Classics Dies

The gold foil elements of this design are just enough in this understated card, I've also kept the layout flat to help postage.

GenGen XxXxX

 

Ninth Advent Window - Frosted Reflection

The Snowflake Magic Specialty Designer Series Paper is SO reflective I've had to take this picture at a strange angle so that I'm not captured in the reflection.

Stamp set: Wishes All Around

Card stock: Snowflake Magic Specialty DSP, Vellum

Ink: Coastal Cabana

Accessories: Label die from Beautiful Balloons, Adhesive Backed snowflakes, Rhinestones and silver twine.

I didn't want to cover over the DSP, so the vellum tag, with the cut outs allows you to see the underlying design. I added rhinestones to the adhesive backed snowflakes, as you can never really have too much sparkle ;-)

GenGen XxXxX

 

Advent Window 8 - Traditional Wreath

 Inspired by the Mini Catalogue front cover . . . 

Stamp Set: Joy of Noel & Christmas Classics

Card stock: Gold Foil, Real Red, Whisper White

Ink: Real Red and Watercolour pencils

Accessories: Joy 0f Noel & Christmas Classic Dies, 

Black & Very Vanilla 3/8" large check ribbon.

You can't beat a bit of colouring in!

GenGen XxXxX

Seventh Advent Window - Foil reflection

 Sometimes less is more . . . 

Stamp Set: Brightest Glow

Card stock: Snowflake Magic, Whisper White

Ink: Coastal Cabana

Accessories: Labels Aglow Dies, Glittered Organdy 3/8" ribbon, Adhesive backed sequins

The detail of this Specialty Designer Series Paper needs to be seen, and reflection at this time of year is always a good thing.

Keep crafting for sanity, GenGen XxXxX

Advent Window 6 - Trucking along!

Somehow December is racing along, and before I know it, I'll be putting up my tree! In an effort to create a card more suited to males, here I've used the Trucking Along Stamp Set in festive colours.

 Stamp Set: Trucking Along

Card stock: Real Red, Joyful 12"x12" Specialty DSP, Whisper White

Ink: Pebble Path, Real Red, Old Olive, Shaded Spruce

Accessories: 2" circle punch, Real Red and Gold dotted 3/8" ribbon

I do love two step stamping and lining up the outline of the truck with the real red colour, and using pebble path for the tyres and hubs just gives this little truck a bit more detail.

Keep your Christmas preps trucking along,

GenGen XxXxX

Fifth Advent Window - Snowflake Magic

 With the first sprinkle of snow on Saturday, the weather begins to seep into my card making

Stamp Set: Wishes All Around

Ink: Azure Afternoon

Card stock: Adhesive backed Silver Glimmer, Snowflake Magic 12"x12" Specialty DSP

Accessories: Wishes All Around Dies and Rhinestones

I love the way snowflakes obscure our view, just like the silver blizzard of the DSP obscuring the stamped Greeting and snowflakes, part of the fun ;-)

Let the winter weather still be magical, GenGen XxXxX

Advent Window 4 - Joy of Christmas

 Stamp Set: Christmas Classics

Card stock: Joy of Christmas DSP, Old Olive, Very Vanilla

Ink: Real Red

Accessories: Christmas Classics Dies, Loose Holly Gems & Sequins

For me, part of the Joy of Christmas is the music, 

so the golden notes of the sequin pack add a gilded accent to this card.

Keep those Christmas ear worms going,

GenGen XxXxX

Third Advent Window - Christmas Classic

A simple sentiment, and my Christmas Wish 

Cardstock: Shaded Spruce, Cherry Cobbler, Joy of Christmas DSP, Adhesive backed Gold Glimmer and Whisper White

Ink: Shaded Spruce

Accessories: Christmas classic Dies, Loose Holly Gems & Sequins

Keep hope in your heart, GenGen XxXxX

Advent window 2 - Sleigh ride sparkle

 The novelty of sending a snow inspired card to Australia 

still hasn't worn off, eleven years on!

This year it's the One Horse Open Sleigh Suite

The 6x6" DSP of this suite provides the perfect background, I also used the adhesive backed silver glimmer paper for the die cut tree and greeting shadow. 

The greeting and DSP frame are Lost Lagoon cardstock, and I used Gray Granite to print the Greeting and Horse and Sleigh (coloured with water colour pencils) and snow rabbit, on Whisper White card stock. 

Last, but by no means least, adhesive backed snowflake and rhinestone.

Keep on adding a little sparkle!

GenGen XxXxX

First Advent Window - Rustic Christmas Countdown Kit!

 What better way to kick off my Advent blog this year, 

than with an Advent Kit?

This is the Rustic Christmas Countdown Kit, 

available in the online exclusive section.

This was the perfect Sunday afternoon project,

 for G&Ms Advent calendar this year. 

Everything you need is supplied, 

even the jute string to hang the advent envelopes on, 

with their decorated pegs.

Ho, ho, ho, keep on Christmas crafting!

GenGen XxXxX

Quiet Meadow

 Here's another card that we did at the July Workshop, this time using Quiet Meadow stamp set and coordinating Meadow Dies, casing the card from p.66 of the Main catalogue

Using Old Olive as a card base I used old olive ink for the spatter stamp, then stamped versa ink for gold heat emboss for the word background - as by this point in my workshop preparation I'm trying to include techniques new card makers perhaps haven't tried. Using the Distressed Gold Specialty Paper behind the printed plate highlights the gold writing too. I used StazOn saddle brown again for the flower print, coloured with Crushed Curry and Old Olive with Blender pens. I die cut the cornflower in Very Vanilla, and then coloured in. The greeting die of this set lead me to use a retired trio punch to round off the top corners, with Crushed Curry marker used for the butterfly die with a stampin' dimensional.

Keep on sharing what you love,

GenGen XxXxX

 

A darker palette for Hello Irresistible

 So the afternoon session of the workshop I used the Hello Irresistible Suite, but with a completely different colour way . . 

For me, this allows better showcasing of the designer series paper, and in the workshop I even used Pretty Peacock on Lost Lagoon card stock for the leaves, rather than the soft sea foam seen here. The straight lined die cut highlights the loose frosted dots more, the dark and light contrast of the greeting and the larger flower and leaves continue the contrast.

Keep changing card design while card making,

GenGen XxXxX

Online exclusives - for inspiration

 As a demonstrator you do get a little preview of products before their release, and when the Hello Irresistible Suite was available for pre-order online only, I ordered it all ;-) 

So the workshop in July was an ideal opportunity to show this suite in two very different ways to highlight the versatility of the products.

So the morning session we did a card based on this design,

So the 6"x6" Hello Irresistible Designer Series Paper creates a fabulous background, with a Soft Sea Foam square die cut with the circle die from the Irresistible Blooms Dies. We used sponge daubers to colour the flower with Flirty Flamingo and Daffodil Delight Ink before using the matching die for the flower. Then the greeting in Flirty Flamingo on Whisper White and the die cut leaves, with a little embellishment with the Loose Frosted Dots for the circular window, and flower centre.

As always when doing a workshop the difference between the cool night light of preparation and the warm day light of the workshop it becomes obvious to change the cool Soft Sea Foam for a brighter Flirty Flamingo, but as always the purpose of a workshop is to make sure people leave with cards they like, and the colours of this suite allow endless possibilities :-)

Keep on changing your design with card making,

GenGen XxXxX

Workshop catch up!

 Way back in July the lovely ladies of Brecon WI invited me along to host a workshop, and FINALLY I'm catching up with posting them here!

This is my version of the card shown on p.23 of the Main Catalogue.

Stamp Set: Dainty Delight

Ink: StazOn Saddle Brown for flower outline and greeting (crumb cake card stock), Blackberry Bliss for background printing, flower spray coloured in with Blender pens, Daffodil delight for flower heads with water painters

Card stock: Fresh as a Daisy DSP, velum for background plate, Whisper white for flower spray and yellow flower head, Old Olive greenery, Blackberry Bliss for flower heads and Crushed Curry sunflower with Early Espresso sunflower centres

Accessories: Scalloped frames and Dainty Delight Dies, Adhesive backed Sequins

I loved the layers of this card,

keep on cardmaking, GenGen XxXxX

15% off stamps - 24hrs only!

 

15% off stamp sets, but only for 24hrs

You can shop with me at 

Genevieve Jones, Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator (stampinup.net)

Happy stamping, 

GenGen XxXxX

January Birthdays Sale-A-Bration!

 With the snow and ice of winter, I've felt the need to brighten the day with cheery DSP for a couple of the January Birthdays. Luckily it's Sale-A-Bration time of year again, and you can qualify for FREE Dainty Flowers DSP with qualifying orders.

Matching it with In Color glimmer paper as backing for a bit of sparkle, this Dainty Flowers print is a perfect pick up for snow, ice and grey skies. I just added a few embellishments into the print.

This second example has varied the gradient direction of the glimmer paper, and reduced embellishments for a simple crossed ribbon, and a Birthday greeting from the Sale-A-Bration stamp set Beautifully Happy.

Keep on crafting to bring cheer at this time of year!

GenGen xxxx